The Devil and me : Inferno
by KyraEleison
Summary: Will Graham is dying. His final chance has come to finally understand who Hannibal Lecter is, and it might be more terrifying than anything he ever had to face with. Will / Hannibal / OC


He's heavily bleeding. I'm sitting next to Will, holding his hands as softly as I possibly can. I force myself to look into his eyes. A few moments ago I had to remove his glasses while I was laying him down on the couch. I know it doesn't matter, he won't need them anyways. I stroke his hair out of his face, and he seems to accept my touch. I'm wondering what he's thinking right now. I've seen it many times. Too many times. But I know Will is special. I never needed Hannibal to tell me differently. I knew it right away.

There is a moment when they realize they're going to die. It doesn't matter if they fight. It doesn't matter if they cry or beg. Once they understand there's nothing they could do to save their lives, that moment comes. It can't be described, you have to see it with your own eyes. I remember the first time I saw someone dying. I was blinded by my own tears, despite all the horrible things that man did to me. I remember how Hannibal pulled me close and how he was rocking me back and forth until I was strong enough to stand on my own feet again. I was safe in his embrace. I wanted him. I needed him. It's funny how a single decision can change the way of the whole Universe you're living in. And my life did change that night, I will always remember that, and that kiss Hannibal Lecter gave me for the first time. Will's voice drags me back from my memories.

„Mh... Marh... Mar..." he's still in a shock, can't speak properly.

I get up from the ground. I need to get him a planket or two. As long as he's bleeding and he's still alive, he'd probably appreciate something warm. Will grabs my hand with all that little power that has left in him and won't let go of me.

„Mr. Graham, please. I want to help you. I promise I'll be back in a minute. I won't leave you alone."

I use a calm and clear tone when I speak to him. I know there isn't a reason to argue or be mad about him. He's afraid and I understand that. I wait patiently until he's ready to ease up the grip on my wrist. I wish to comfort him but I can only hope he believes me.

I walk into our bedroom and grab the quilts from the bed then I have to stop for a secont. I feel slightly desperate even though I can't really tell myself why. I can't guess where Hannibal is but I'm sure it won't take him long to get back and finish the story of Will Graham's. He was waiting for that special moment for such a long time and I did everything to understand his fascination with the agent. However, I'm still not sure if I get all the details right.

Suddenly, I can hear a loud noise and mumbling from downstairs. I rush out of the bedroom with the blanket in my hands. As I reach the last stair, I see that Will somehow managed to fall from the couch and now he's lying on the floor, his arms and legs slightly moving. He talks but I can't understand what he's saying. I feel horrible as I run towards him, help him getting back on the couch. Before I could do anything to make him feel less miserable I need to get a towel. His plaid shirt is soaking in blood. The scalpel was very sharp. Hannibal likes to keep it ready for anything. And - of course - he knows many different ways to use it.

Will Graham would never believe me if I'd told him he's lucky. It was quick, it only took a minute to get from the point when he realised there was no way out to the point when his doctor stepped behind him and stabbed him with that shiny, metallic knife. His abdomen is seriously injured. I don't have to be a surgeon to tell that he's bleeding as much on the inside, as he does on the outside. I still think he was lucky. I've seen grown up men begging to be finally stabbed. It never worked. They never learned their lesson and that made Hannibal even more furious.

I bring a couple of towels from the bathroom. I have to unbutton the agent's shirt to take a closer look at the wound. Not hard to find. It's small, clear. It's also killing him. We both know it but I'm still acting like I could help and Will is still acting like he's appreciating it. I don't want to ruin the scene, it makes the whole situation a bit easier for us. I push the towel into the lesion, hopefully it will slow down the inescapable. Once I'm finished with that I wrap the man around with a big, soft quilt. Obviously he's freezing because of all that blood he's losing, and a whole forest on fire couldn't make that better for him but I have to do everything I can. I'm not sure if he wants me to talk or he'd rather keep it quiet. I find it best if I just sit close, caress him as a good mother would. Touch must be the ultimate painkiller. There's not many things I believe in but it's definitely one of those. The house is silent. It's like, the whole world is holding it's breath, waiting for the next step.

„Marion..." I stare at his face, barely smiling. He continues. „Am I dreaming?"

„No, Mr. Graham, you're not."

„Are you really here?"

„I'm here with you and I will stay as long as you need me."

„Am I dying?"

The question that feels like a smack on my face. My feelings keep on surprising me, I need to take control of myself.

„Yes." I reply softly.

His lips start to quiver but won't start to cry. He's stronger than I ever thought he is. Hannibal would be more than proud if he'd be here right now. But he's still away. I know he'll be back in time but it doesn't change the fact that I'm still missing him like he was the oxygen that keeps me alive.

„Do you remember what happened, Mr. Graham?"

„Oh, yes, I do." He forces a grin on his blood covered face. „I just don't know how. The very second I realized who Dr. Lecter is, he instantly knew I know it. How?"

„He was waiting for you to understand."

Graham has the energy to get mad. It's quite hard to believe, considering his conditions.

„You mean, to understand that he's a butcher who not only kills people but also cannibalize them?" he whispers angrily.

And this is it. Here we are where he has to know the most disturbing truth of his entire existence.

„So did you. And half of your team."

His face tells me everything. How he's finally starting to figure out what he got himself into. It's scary and enthralling at the same time. I don't have any reason to lie to Will.

„You've been eating human flesh too." I really have to focus to be able to say these words out loud.

Everything this man thought he was starts to crashing down right in front of me. What could I do? There is no comfort in this world that could possibly help him getting through the fact of what he did. I'm ready to answer his questions as long as he is ready to hear the truth.

„Who are you?"

I can't believe my ears. All the things he's been through and he wants to know who I am?

„What do you think, Mr. Graham?" I ask him curiously.

„His partner in all this?"

„Well, in a way I must be, yes. But I'm so much more than that."

„Are you lovers?" he seems completely terrified by his own inquiry.

I don't know if I should laugh or cry. „If you want to know how I feel about Hannibal, I tell you. I love him. I love him more than I love my own life."

Will is completely unable to handle what I just said. He's vicious.

„You can't tell me that you are in love with a sadistic psychopath unless you are completely crazy. Are you going to eat me for dinner? Are you taking care of the meat until the doctor arrives? I see who he is but I can't figure out who you are, Marion. I expect an answer from you. That's all I want."

I hesitate. I don't owe him anything but for the first time, I think I might have to tell the complete truth. He's too special to keep it from him. I know it will be hard for Will. And for me and Hannibal.

„You only think you know who he is but the truth is you can't even imagine."

„Really? If it's true I must be the blindest man. Dr. Lecter can't be worse than what I already think he is, and there's no way he could be better either. I'm asking you for the last time: who are you in the story?"

Will seems to get more and more tired. It's normal. He's bleeding to his death. His skin slowly turns from white to grey.

„Do you believe in the supernatural, Mr. Graham?" my voice sounds a bit shaky.

The agent glances at me, probably thinks that I'm joking. „No, I don't."

„But you do believe in good and bad, don't you?"

„Good and bad are not part of any kind of supernatural. Those are human characteristics. We invented them. Good or bad only depends on the culture we live in. If I'd live in the middle of the jungle, I might not consider cannibalism as a bad thing."

„All right. But what about the eternal good and evil?"

„I'm not religious at all if that's what you want to know."

„It's not about religion, I'm afraid. You don't have to belive in evil in order to make it believe in you. I'm not sure if you understand me. You have to forget about you beliefs and let yourself see. That's what Hobbs told you, right? You know, on the verge of life and death we have the ability to see behind the curtains. We understand everything."

„Well, I don't understand."

„You will. You played a big part in his plan, and you acted very well. He kept telling me how special and unique you were. He's proud of you."

My hands are shaking. So does Will. He probably doesn't get it yet but he's too smart not to see the obvious. All I need to do is show him the right perspective.

I'm not even blinking as I ask him the final question.„Do you believe in the _Devil_, Will?"

„What? No. It can't be..." he gasps.

„It can. It is. So how would you call me? The Devil's right hand?"

I need to get myself together, I can't cry. Graham looks like his own shadow. I know he believes me. He must believe me, this is the only way he could explain himself everything that had happened. If he thought eating people was the worst thing, he has to acknowledge he was wrong.

„You said you love him?"

„I do. With all my heart. We've both sacrificed for us. And trust me, I've paid the price for this love." I'm fighting with myself and for a split second I feel like Will can read my mind.

„With what exactly have you paid him?" he whispers.

I'm trying my best to smile as I answer him: „With my soul."

From the corner of my eye, I can see Hannibal walking into the livingroom. He takes his long, brown coat off, unbutton his cuffs and rolls them up. I could never explain how I feel about him. Will remains speechless, though I'm sure he has much to say. I stroke his face for the last time. Hannibal touches my shoulder and I know it's time for me to go. He gives a kiss on my forehead before I leave the two men alone. The silence seems almost unbearable.

Before I could leave the room, I hear Will Graham saying my name again.

„Marion, I'm sorry I couldn't help you." a dying man's last words to me.

I rush out of the house with my tears falling into the snow.


End file.
